PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A North Philadelphia man now faces numerous charges of animal cruelty after humane officials recovered 12 living and 17 dead cats from his boarding home.

“There was lots of feces, urine and the furniture was covered with that kind of matter and the animals were as well,” said Wendy Marano, spokesperson for the SPCA. “It’s probably been going on for some time.”

SPCA officials say the 17 dead cats were found stuffed into the man’s freezer, behavior they say is typical to that of an animal hoarder who believes he or she is actually protecting the animals.

“Often it’s that they can’t depart with those animals, even in death,” said Marano. “They feel a connection to them and a need to hang onto them.”

The cat’s owner is a man in his 30s who was being evicted by his landlord who suspected the man had a lot of pets. The landlord called animal control when he entered the man’s apartment Friday afternoon.

The SPCA has not released the man’s identity and they are currently working to track him down.